Carrying-hook.



R. RICHARDS & H. P. MARLEY.

CARRYING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5,1916.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 awuemto'w 1615011025" R. RICHARDS & H. P. MARLEY.

' CARRYING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5. I916- 1 16,362. Patented Feb. 20, 1917. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

RICHARD RICHARDS Ann noises r. MARLEY, or'ivnw CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CARRYING-HODK.

Application filed June 5, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, RICHARD RICHARDS and Henna P. MAnLnY, citizens of the United tates, residing at New Castle, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carryingllooks; and We do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

his invention relates to improvements in carrying hooks or grapples which are used on power cranes and similar machines.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character from which the article being carried cannot be accidentally disengaged while being conveyed from place to place.

A secondary object of the invention is to provide a device in which the gripping levers are free to move away from each other when it is inoperative so that articles of various sizes may be gripped.

With these and many other objects in. view our invention resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved carrying hooks, the parts being arranged in inactive position;

F ig. 2 is a horizontal section of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 show; ing the parts in active position; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the plane of the line 41 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings it will be seen that the invention comprises a pair of gripping arms 1 pivoted intermediate their ends to the opposite ends of a hanger bar 2, said bar being supported on the usual lifting member of a crane (not shown) by links 3 and a chain 4. Each of the arms 1 is formed of a pair of levers 5 which are disposed on opposite sides of the on the plane hanger bar 2 and are connected adjacent their lower free ends by a brace bar 6, their extrelne lower ends being extended inwardly toward the other arm 1 to form hooks 7. In Fig. 4 it will be seen that the levers 5 which compose each of the arms 1 are spaced apart adjacent their lower ends, but are Specification of Letters Patent.

rat-eaten net. so, 1917. Serial No. 101,755.

gradually brought together at their connection and with the hanger bar 2.

The hanger bar 2 is chain -l by means of a pair of bell crank levers 8 pivoted at 9 thereto, the adjacent ends of these levers being provided with bolts 10 for connection with the links 3. Each of the bell crank levers 8 is preferably formed of a pair of members one of which is disposed on each side of the hanger bar 2, one of the bolts 10 connecting one of their ends while their opposite ends have a contact member in the form of a roller or sleeve 11 held therebetween by means of a bolt 12. In order to receive the rollers 11, the members which compose the crank levers have their free outer ends offset as shown at 13, thus spacing the same farther apart than their inner ends.

Adjacent the arms 1 in the upper edge of the'hanger bar 2 are formed seats 14: which are adapted to receive the rollers 11 when the bell crank levers are moved about their pivots 9 by means of the weight of the article which is gripped between said arms. It will be seen their seats 14 they will also be in engagement with the upper ends of the arms 1 so that the lower active ends thereof will be prevented from moving outwardly and thus releasing the article which is being gripped thereby. This simple arrangement provides a very effective means for securely holding the article against accidental disengagement from the arms when it is being conveyed from place to place.

In order to hold the rollersll out of their seats except when an article is being gripped by the arms 1 we provide helical springs 15, one of which is disposed on each side of the hanger bar 2. The opposite ends of each of these springs have arms 16 provided with eyes 17 on their outer ends secured thereto. These eyes form a means whereby the springs may be connected to the inner adjacent arms of each of the bell crank levers 8.

The carrying hooks may normally be moved from place to place when there is no load being carried thereby. without causing the rollers 11 to enter the' seats 1i because the tension of the contracted springs 15 is great enough to overcome the weight of the arms 1 and the hanger bar 2. But, however, as soon as an article is gripped by these arms 1 the combined weight of connected with the of two parts pivots 9 so as to cause the rollers 11 to enter their seats and engage the upper ends of said arms 1, thereby preventing the outward movement of the lower ends of said arms. While in the drawings the bell crank levers S and the arms 1 are shown as formed it is obvious that when a carrying hook of less capacity is needed, it may vers and arms 1. Furthermore, other minor changes may be made within thev scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lNe claim '1. In a device of the class described, a hanger bar, a pair of gripping members, said bar having seats therein adjacent said members, swinging arms, and contact members carried by said arms, said arms being movable to dispose said contact members in said seats to engage one end of the gripping members to prevent the same from moving apart.

2. In a device of the class described, a hanger bar, a pair of gripping levers, said bar having seats therein adjacent said levers, lifting means, bell crank levers connected at one end with said lifting means,

cont-act members carried by the opposite being movable by said lifting means said levers to dispose said contact members in said seats, whereby to engage one end of the gripping levers to" prevent the same from moving apart.

'3. In a device of the class described, a hanger bar, a pair of gripping levers, said bar having seats therein adjacent said levers, lifting means, bell crank levers conends of said bell crank levers,

. nected at one end with said lifting means,

said bell crank contact members carried by being movable by the levers, said levers Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the be constructed of single bell crank le- 7 weight of the article carried thereby to dispose said contact members in said seats, whereby to engage one end of the gripping levers to prevent the same from moving apart, and spring means for holding said contact members normally out of said seats.

4:. In a device of the class described, a hanger bar, a pair of gripping levers, sai bar having seats therein adjacent said levers, lifting means, bell crank levers ccnnected at one end with said lifting means, contact members carried by said bell crank levers, said levers being movable by the weight of the article carried thereby to dispose said contact members in said seats, (30 whereby to engage one end of tho gripping levers to prevent the same from moving apart, and a helical spring having arms extending from opposite ends thereof, said arms being connected to the adjacent ends of the bell crank levers to normally hold said contact members out of said seats.

Lifting mechanism for the purpose described comprising a transverse supporting frame, load carrying arms pivoted thereto, and arms pivoted to the frame having holding portions engaging the carrying arms, means connecting them with a cent ally arranged lifting element, and means for positively relaxing said connecting means.

6. Lifting mechanism for the purpose described comprising a rigid transverse supporting frame, load carrying arms pivoted directly thereto, arms pivoted to the frame having separable holding portions engaging 80 the carrying arms, and means connecting them with a centrally arranged element.

. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' RICHARD RICHARDS.

HOMER P. MARLEY.

IVitnesses IVAL'rnn S. RnYNoLns, M. E. Norris.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

